Peter Obi Slams New 5% Fuel Tax as Burden on Nigerians

Former Anambra governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has strongly criticized the Federal Government’s new 5% tax on refined fossil fuels, including gasoline and diesel.

Obi voiced his concerns on Wednesday via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, describing the move as an added burden on struggling Nigerians.

According to Obi, the timing of the fuel tax is unfair given the current economic hardship.

“Nigerians will pay a 5% tax when buying their everyday fuel or diesel at a time when millions can hardly even afford the cost of transportation,” he wrote.

He argued that the levy should have been postponed until Nigerians begin to experience tangible improvements from President Bola Tinubu’s promises.

Obi also highlighted broader concerns:

• President Tinubu had recently boasted that Nigeria met its revenue target for the year, yet hardship persists.

• The supposed alternative fuel, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), has become unaffordable, jumping from ₦230 to ₦450 per unit.

• Promised CNG subsidies have reportedly disappeared.

“If our revenues are truly ‘excessive’ as claimed, should they not first be used to fund education, healthcare, and pulling Nigerians out of poverty? Why tax citizens who cannot even breathe anymore?” Obi asked.

Obi stressed that governance should be about care and compassion, not about piling new financial burdens on citizens already battling poverty and inflation.

Fuel taxes have wide-reaching effects in Nigeria, influencing not just transport costs but also food prices, logistics, and general inflation. Obi’s remarks reflect growing public frustration with policies seen as worsening daily struggles.